TexasCHLforum.com

I swore I'd never respond to this, but oh well......

My step-daughter lives in Kentucky, which is an open carry state, without restrictions or licenses. I've never seen anyone open carry though I read about people doing it, mostly without issue, on opencarry.org. Next time I'm there for a week, I intend to do a little bit of testing the waters to see how it goes.

I've open carried in Louisiana, mostly while putting gas in the car as I was travelling thus wearing the shoulder holster. No one batted an eye. I passed the football with my son in the street doing open carry, no problems. This was a belt holster and you'd probably have to look real close to see that there was a gun there, so I'm not even sure anyone saw it.

The point? No machoism. Nothing political, though getting the general population used to the idea that good guys can be gun owners too, not just criminals and law enforcement, would be an added benefit. Imagine the hard job that the antis would have if everyone was so used to seeing guns in the control of good people in the general population!

Personally, why I WOULD like to see open carry allowed is to remove the paranoia surrounding accidental flashing, or just when it's plain inconvenient to wear a cover. There are times when I've worn a belt holster under a suit coat, but then while waiting for the bus in 95 degree weather, it'd be nice to be able to take my coat off. Same goes for inside the bus when the AC isn't working. When getting in the car and having to look around to make sure no one sees you take your coat off or put it on when you've arrived. Wearing it open on your property? Doesn't matter how hot and humid it is, make sure you cover it up somehow when you go talk to your neighbor, or go down to the corner to get gas for your mower.......on and on and on.

My point is that I sincerely doubt that we're all of a sudden going to see a bunch of open carry in restaurants, stores, etc. For all the people that talk the talk, very few are going to walk the walk. What it would do is add convenience to us that mostly conceal by not having to constantly worry about it. Heck, license wise, do as Tennessee. The license there is handgun carry, open or concealed, you pick. I really think that this is a right that we should get back, even if it's just going to be for the sake of having that right given back to us since it's rarely going to be excercised from what I've seen.